Is this just the beginning for Southampton Football Club?

Southampton have enjoyed a fine season – but is there more to come? (Picture: Getty Images)

Southampton have done it! Their eighth place finish is secure!

With Newcastle slipping to a 3-0 reverse at the hands of Arsenal, only a monumental goal difference swing could see them pip Saints to the coveted title of being a ‘top eight club’.

Ok, so eighth place finishes don’t provide photo’s for the walls of local pubs and it won’t be paraded on the streets of the city, but in terms of rapid improvement it represents a decent return for a club still only four years away from being in the third tier.

If that doesn’t make it impressive enough, along the way this season Saints have had to roll with a temperamental Italian, training ground bust ups, the chairman leaving, a complete Meltdown (copyright the English Media), financial ruin, the manager wanting out and 75 per cent of the playing staff leaving in January and again this summer.

They’ve been denied approximately 17 penalties for handball in the box, been Clattenburg’d (twice), Liverpool’d (once), Mourinho’d (twice) and had to go to Sunderland three flaming times.

They’ve conceded the only penalty for shirt pulling in the box in the history of football, let Johan Elmander score and failed to beat David Moyes. The manager can’t speak English, the owner isn’t interested, the new chairman is an ice hockey coach and Rickie Lambert is still getting compared to Andy bleeding Carroll. Asimir Begovic scored past us, Artur Boruc tried a Cruyff turn at Arsenal, our record signing went haywire and we lost to Tim Sherwood. Twice.

Despite all this we have equaled our record (38 game season) Premier League points haul with two games to play, had two players selected in the PFA Team of the Year and those same two players nominated for Player and Young Player of the Year respectively.

We’ve had four players represent the national team at full level and countless others at the junior levels and regularly partook in Premier League fixtures with six or seven youth products in the first team squad.

At times we have flattered to deceive and out possessed teams without scoring the goals to win the game and on other occasions we have outclassed those that are considered superior. We’ve played football as good as anybody and we’ve turned heads everywhere we’ve been.

Last season was the shot across the bow, this season has been the suppressive fire. Will next season be the sustained assault? Who knows, but we are Southampton and we are back.